EditFast Grammar Resource: Adjectives and Adverbs: Complete, Logical Comparisons

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Adjectives and Adverbs

Rule 6:
Make complete, logical comparisons.

Incomplete comparisons often make the reader guess at what you are comparing.

Examples:

• The Gilbreth diamond is far more beautiful, and costs less, too. (More beautiful that what?)
• You look much better today. (Better than when?)
• We have received more applications for technical positions this year. (Compared to another year or to non-technical positions?)

Be sure that your comparisons are logical. That is, don't compare apples to oranges.

Examples:

• My duties were much more difficult than my brother.
• The houses and shops I saw in Japan were just like any town in America.

The first sentence compares my duties to my brother and the second sentence compares houses and shops in Japan to any town in America. Restate the sentences to avoid the illogical comparisons.

Examples:

• My duties were more difficult than my brother's duties were.
• The houses and shops I saw in Japan were just like the houses and shops of any town in America.